Phillies fans are in for a shock this summer with team's plans to ruin its jerseys

The Philadelphia Phillies are currently one of 13 Major League Baseball teams that have resisted the urge to feature a jersey ad patch on uniform tops. According to a recent report from John George of The Philadelphia Business Journal, the Phillies are likely to agree to a deal (subscription required) with a corporate sponsorship partner on a patch as early as the All-Star break.

If you've seen the small but noticeable ads on the sleeves of other team's jerseys since they first appeared on uniform tops in 2023, you know they are not a welcome sight on baseball jerseys. For example, last season, the rival New York Mets joined the list of teams with sponsorship patches.

The awkward-looking patches stand out like a sore thumb and add absolutely nothing interesting to the look of a uniform top, but baseball is joining the ranks of the NBA, NHL, and international soccer with these types of advertisements. According to George's report, owner John Middleton has rejected previous offers from sponsors since MLB allowed its inclusion on uniforms, but Middleton is reportedly in the process of making a decision on a sponsor patch, with this summer being the first time they will appear on a Phillies uniform.

Regardless of fans' obvious feelings on baseball jersey advertisements, owners will take the money from sponsors and hold their noses at how they damage the look of classic uniform tops. The Phillies appear set to become the latest to take part in this trend, and there's probably no turning back.

Another alleged sighting of a Phillies City Connect jersey has surfaced

2024 is becoming a rough year for baseball jerseys. Spring training gave players and fans their first look at Nike's new Vaporwave uniforms, and let's just say they were not a hit with either. Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos and other players around the league have been vocal critics of these new uniforms from the start, and have expressed their concerns to MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Phillies fans have been divided ever since what appeared to be the team's new City Connect jersey top leaked in late January. A social media user discovered the uniform top listed on eBay and shared the photo across multiple social media platforms. The Phillies offered no response to the speculation, but recently it was announced that the new uniforms will make their debut at some point in April.

Another uniform was discovered this week and leaked on X (the website formerly known as Twitter), and now we have a better idea of what the uniform may look like.

The Phillies join a growing number of MLB teams that now feature City Connect jerseys. The design and color of the uniforms are said to be inspired by the City of Philadelphia's flag colors. While all of this is still speculative, the most recent appearance of this mysterious jersey is starting to make it look like these may indeed be the team's City Connect uniform tops.